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In the Station Bessansin Savoie, is the opening of the first track of the season. A track that was able to open thanks to the snow stored last year and preserved for 12 months, including during the heat wave.
To Bessans (Savoy)a white ribbon of snow constitutes the cross-country ski trail. Yet there hasn’t been a single snowflake in months. The station, located at an altitude of 1700 meters, has achieved a feat: save the snow that fell last winter. This was possible thanks to a technique from the Scandinavian countries. A reserve of 16 000 m3 a been stored, covered with sawdust. It withstood the summer heat wave and the snow is almost intact today.
“The insulating properties of the sawdust made it possible to lose only 17% of the volume of snow stored at the end of the previous winter (…) This is the fifth year in Bessans that we have opened early thanks to to this snow conservation technique”explains Laurent Vidal, director of the resort Bessans (Savoy). This one expects its first skiers on November 5th. The operation costs 12,000 euros, which is cheaper than using snow cannons.